Welcome to the Painting Challenge. Here you will find the fabulous, fevered work from miniature painters from around the world. While participants come from every colour, gender, age and nationality, they have at least three things in common: they love miniatures, enjoy a supportive community and they have all taken the Challenge.
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Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Since my last submission was the Victorian Bobbies, I thought it would be nice for them to have some criminals to chase. These figures are from West Wind Productions EotD line. Again, I really enjoy painting these figures. The sculpts are very nice, beautifully slender, I only wish that all the Napoleonics I have painted were sculpted in the same way.

West Wind has been a bit of a challenge with their EotD project, the support has been slow after the Requiem Kickstarter. I can guess who most of the figures represent but I am not 100% sure about two of them, as the sculpt changed from that on the kickstarter page.

Dr Roylott, Professor Moriarty, John Clay

But hard to argue with success, as over 600 backers with 20x the original amount asked was pledged. I have bought both the EotD and Osprey's In Her Majesty's Name rulebooks and am still deciding whether I will give Gothic/Horror/Steampunk/Victorian wargaming a go. I understand though that the EotD supplement is almost done. Another terrain project just terrifies me.

The Butler!, Jack the Ripper, Dorian Grey

It is a fun era though, I really found the 2nd season of 'Ripper Street' enjoyable and Curt had recently recommended the 1st season of 'Penny Dreadful'. Well all I can say is that we watched the season in two sittings.......it is the balls. I just find Eva Green mesmerizing (I could not believe Camelot was not renewed after the 1st season)........I am still trying to figure who my wife Jennifer was finding so compelling!

From Curt:

Excellent work John. I particularly like your Dorian Grey in his rich red tones as it really conveys that sense of decadence about him. Moriarty is wonderful as well with his red-lined opera cape, cane and spectacles. Hmmm, I really have to think about getting a set of these for myself.

I'm really a bit proud of myself lately. Normally being a true wargames butterfly it seems like I actually manage to stay focused... well, for the moment at least.

With today's submission I'm done with my first batch of British Expeditionary Force figures.

One of my few New Years resolution was to paint up all I already have for a given project before buying any reinforcements.

So today I can show you the Support Weapons Teams for the BEF.

First off is the Vickers MMG:

Followed by the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle

And last but not least the 2" Light Mortar:

As I said before the first batch is done. But fear not, reinforcements are already on the way!From Curt:Over the past few weeks I find I'm running out of superlatives to describe your work Nick. :) Again, gobsmacking stuff here, made particularly eye-catching with the Roundwood-inspired bases (for which I've shamelessly stolen the same brick effect for my post apoc stuff as well). Thanks Sidney! I really like the mortar crewman who's without his tin hat - makes one want to yell out, 'Get something on your head, you git!'Again, a wonderful entry Nick!

So work and drinking have got in the way this week, not at the same time though. Only one unit finished, the 8th Louisiana, which completes the infantry for the confederates. I still have some artillery and a couple of spare units to paint to complete all the ACW troops.

I decided to paint these in grey, not all the rebels can look scruffy all the time. The uniforms are washed with black ink and then I retouched the top of the folds etc. J added some extra colour to the blanket rolls, including the end front ranker who has brought his quilt from home. The faces were washed and again retouched on cheekbones etc. but I'm not overly happy with the results. The faces on the models are fairly featureless and so there are few places for the wash to pool. My detail work isn't good enough yet to compensate and so they just looked tanned.

Dale Winton - an orange UK TV "Celeb"

More work needed here, I have some very wrinkly figures and a new brush to practice with for next week. I'm very hard on brushes - gone through 2 already during the challenge.

Finally I've started to play with interesting bases and these guys are advancing (my infantry always advances) through long grass made from Tajima long grass tufts and the remains of the cornfield I used on a earlier unit, my first attempt at interesting bases. Finally the bare patches are covered in coconut matting collected from my hanging baskets before the birds nick it.I'm starting to run out of figs on the ACW painting, and have started to paint up the random stuff I purchased in the sales - I'm a sucker for a bargain and almost never buy to a plan. Expect more variety moving forward.

From Curt:

Another great regiment to add to your collection Martin! I quite like the wild foliage on your bases (Tajima is such a great resource for groundwork). As for washes you may want to try a brown wash instead of a black as it often easier to control and gives a more moderate effect (GW's Earthtone is good). In regards to flesh detailing I can recommend the Formula P3 Flesh Wash from Privateer. I find it's far more subtle (and natural) than anything GW has produced (and should help keep the Dale Winton effect to a minimum). Both of these products can be 'cut' with water which allows you to layer to taste. Just my two Confederate Dollars (i.e. interesting to collect but perhaps next to worthless)...